Process of treating tobacco.



ALFRED C. BEDORTI-IA, 01E WINDSOR,

comm-Tiara, Assrenonor roun-rrnnrns ro LAWRENCE L. BEIDbRTHA, QFiWINDSOR, CONNECTICUT.

rnoonss or-rnn'arina'ronacoo.

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern: 1

Be it known that I, ALFRED C. BEDORTHA, a citizen. of the United States, residing at Windsor, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented a'new and useful Improvement in Processes of Treating Tobacco, of which the following is a specification, the present application being a continuation in part of my pending application Serial No. 765,483, filed May 5,

My invention relates to processesof treating tobacco and more particularly to an improved process whereby it is made possible to give the tobacco a more desirable flavor than it would possess if allowed to ferment naturally. t

Tobacco before being ready for use is i usually fermented. Investigators have tried by various methods of controlling the fermentation, to give to ,the'tobacco a predetermined taste, aroma, etc. One method has been by the cultivation, on previously sterilized tobacco, of bacteria obtained from tobacco of a desirable taste, aroma, etc., to

. give to the tobacco under treatment the taste, aroma, etc., of the tobacco from whichthe bacteria were taken. Another method has been by inoculating the tobacco with bacteria and spores obtained from fermented tobacco, and cultivated on an agar agar plate according to the Koch method until-the desired quantity were obtained, andthen allowing them to grow upon the tobacco or allowing the tobacco to ferment under their influence until the desired result was secured.

I have found that it is not the activity of the organisms themselves upon the tobacco which influences the fermentation, but that it is ,certain products of the growth of bacteria which resemble the enzyms or unorganized ferments of certain industries, the action of which is little understood, and

which ferment or enzym are contained in r I the liquid in which the bacteria grew, which influence the fermentation.-

I have also found that it is not necessary to raise the bacteria'upon the tobacco, but rather it is desirable to raise them removed from the tobacco as their growth can be more easily controlled when grown elsewhere.

One use of the invention is to give toy to- Application filed August- 2, 1916. SeriaINo. 112,839.-..

bacco a predetermined flavor different from that usually possessed by naturally fer- Specification of Letters Patent. Patenfdl 16, 11918,

mented tobacco which is grown in the same section. Another use is in those cases where the flavor producedby fermentation under the influence of the fermenting power producedby nature would be acceptable if the controlling elements produced by nature where sufficient to ferment or sweat the tobacco to a desirable degree, but through unfavorable or adverse climatic conditions such controllingelements are not produced in suflicient quantities to desirably sweat the tobacco. In such cases the natural elements causing the fermentation can be supplemented by the use of growth products of bacteria living in or inhabiting the region in which the tobacco grows, produced arti- 'ficially in suflicient quantity, but not necessarily selected or tested before use, thus causing the tobacco to sweat to a desirable degree with a consequent improvement in the flavor, burn, and general qualities of the tobacco.

My invention resides in the transfer of the products of the growth of bacteria to tobacco leaves so that the results of fermentation obtained in the usual way customary in the art will be controllableand more valuable. Mere sterilization of tobacco is old in the art, so is the transfer of bacteria to sterilized tobacco. But the present method is based upon the production, removed from the tobacco, and under controllable conditions, of the products of bacterial growth, which are in nature produced upon the tobacco, under conditions which are uncontrollable, and which uncontrollable conditions, of course, leave the result uncertain and unsatisfactory.

To'practically carry out the invention it is necessary to cultivate the bacteria in a medium in which they will form the desired growth products in suflioient quantity, and then to transfer these growth product to the tobacco. Bacteria are obtained from tobacco having the taste, aroma, etc., desired or from any other suitable source. Preferably a water extract of tobacco is prepared by boiling in 50' lbs. of Water% to 11} lbs.

par-

products have the bacteria used and upon the growing conditions, and is usually about two to three days, 'or until an appreciable amount of free ammonia is formed which can be detected by a suitable indicator. The formation of ammonia is apparently a safe indicator to use in practice, and it occurs in about the same length of time that would be necessary were the same bacteria growing upon tobacco leave under very favorable conditions for their increase. lit may be explained that this formation of ammonia in a massof tobacco, when the conditions are very favorable to the growth of bacteria, indicates that the period of useful bacterial growth is over, that is, further bacterial growth substantiallyceases. Any further fermentation seems to be due to the enzym which has been produced by such bacterial growth. This fermentation under the influence of the enzym, known to the trade as sweating, is very rapid and difficult to control if free access of the air is permitted with the tobacco in the moist condition of bacterial growth above described; therefore, this sweating ought to take place under conditions which will prevent the more general or free access of air to the tobacco, and with its moisture content reduced to approxlmately ten to fifteen per cent.

Tn carrying out my process, the growth products, supposedly enzyms, obtained inependently, as above described, may be the result of the growth of a pure culture, or a mixed culture, or they may be a mixture of the growth products of two or more pure cultures of bacteria. it now consider it referable to use a mixtureof growth pro ucts resulting from two or more pure cultures.

My rocess contemplates the addition of the cu ture media, in which said growth resulted, to the mass of tobacco to be treated, and the subjection thereof to the usual sweating, under the influence of said rowth products. The proper amount of suc' culture media to use will have to be determined by experience, and

' depends upon the tobacco to be fermented,

since no definite amount can be given which will be suitable for all kinds of tobacco and the various bacteria. ll have found, however, that an amount of culture media equal in weight to eighty per cent, or more, of the dry weight of the tobacco will be suffiflavor and aroma,

'ucts upon the tobacco.

raoaeas cient to convert or ferment some tobacco, by the usual sweating, to an acceptable without the necessity of further formation of bacterial growth prod- A less amount of to such culture media will be sufficient with other tobacco.

The final flavor of the fermented tobacco and also thelength of time it will hold its flavor and not go by, as termed in the trade, is also greatly influenced by the conditions of temperature and air supply under which the culture is kept during the production of the growth products and the time the growth products in the culture are maintained under ,such conditions, before use.

Conditions for the maximum rapidity of growth of the bacteria such as tempera ture and air supply exert an influence on the flavor of the fermented tobacco, if the culture is maintained under these conditions much longer than necessary to produce the required amount of growth products in the culture medium, similar to that produced by shaking the tobacco, or such exposure to the air as the tobacco gets during the so-called bulk fermentation.

It is therefore necesary for the operator to determine experimentally 'the proper growing conditions for the bacteria used to supply the growth products and the proper time to use the culture media containing the growth products so produced, in order to obtain the best results both in the time of mo sweating the tobacco upon which they are to be used, and the flavor which the tobdcco will have when sweated.

Usually the quicker the growth products are used after their production, the we smoother and softer will be the flavor of the tobacco when fermented.

Before applying the culture media to the tobacco as above set forth, the tobacco are preferably dried or otherwise brought into such a condition so that they will absorb uniformly the solution containing the bacterial growth -products. The application may be made by immersing the tobacco in M5 the solution.

lit is most corfvenient to apply to the leaves the'growth products, together ,with the bacteria present in' the solution, although the bacteria themselves can be re- 12 moved in certain cases, if desired, by filtering or any other suitable way, before the growth products are applied to the tobacco. It is also understood that any other method of application of the growth products than 123% the one mentioned can be used, and that it 'can take place if desired at any other time made if desired. mo

These growth products act upon certain convertible or fermentable flavor-producing constituents of the tobacco, and it is sometimes desirable to supply the tobacco with additional fermentable flavor-producing material. This additional fermentable flavor producing material may be in the form of a water extract of other tobacco.

The presence or absence of native bacteria upon the tobacco is immaterial inasmuch as the flavor of the tobacco is not dependent upon them, but if the products of the growth of the undesirable native bacteria are present in undesirable quantities, it is desirable that they be rendered inactive. The destruction of these native growth products is preferably accomplished by drying the tobacco before the application of the bacterial growthproducts and subjecting it to the action of hot air. A temperature of 212' degrees Fahrenheit for fifteen minutes will probably be sufficient.

After the growth products, obtained as above described, have been applied, the tobacco is allowed to remain wet until the growth products are distributed throughout the leaves andthey have become soft and pliable. It is next quickly dried completely,

.as by the artificial circulation of hot air, to

remove the excess liquid, and then moistened properly for sweating. The amount of moisturein the tobacco when it is ready for sweating is a matter of experience with the operator and is familiar to those skilled in the art, and varies from 5% to 20% of the weight of the leaf, depending upon the tobacco.

The tobacco containing the added growth products and also, if desired, the additional fermentable flavor-producing material, is now packed in boxes or bales where it is allowed to remain in rooms at temperatures ordinarily used in the industry, namely 7 5 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit, until it is sufficiently sweated or aged for use. The time it ought to remain is indefinite, depending upon the tobacco and the willingness of the trade to accept it for use.

Some grades would be ready in a few months while others would require two years or more.

The box or case method of fermentation or sweating, as practised in Connecticut, is to be preferred to the bulk method for cigar tobacco, as the qualities of smoothness and body in the aroma and flavor are i-nfluenced by the access of air to the tobacco. The more or less free "access of air to the tobacco caused by shaking up the leaves during the bulk fermentation, which tends to produce sharpness and lack of body in the flavor and aroma, is by this method prevented. The tobacco could be sweated in any other way if desired.

The fermentation or sweating of the a rapid and fairly uniform rise of temperature above that of the fermenting room when it is maintained at temperatures between 75 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit with the tobacco packed in boxes containing 150-200 lbs. at a density of 25 to 30 lbs. to the cubic foot of box space, and containing 5% to 15% moisture. This fermentation is controlled by controlling the room temperatures', the moisture in the tobacco, its density in the cases, or in any other way desired, and after a few months the temperature falls to that of the room where it is allowed to remain, undergoing slow fermentation or ripening until its flavor and desirable qualities have been acceptably developed for use.

The addition of fermentable flavor-producing material, to be acted upon by the bacterial growth products, as above. described, may with advantage be adopted, particularly when low or second grade leaves of a crop are undergoing treatment.

In such an instance, an extract prepared from the top or thicker leaves of the plants maybe prepared and then added to said second grade leaves, thus furnishing said leaves with suitable material for the action of the subsequently added bacterial growthproducts. p a

While I have described the details of'one manner in which my process may be practised, I do not wish to be limited to such details as it is obvious that certain variations and changes may be made, without departing from the spirit of the invention}, but having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: v

1. The process of treating tobacco, by the addition thereto of the growth products of selected bacteria, and the subjection of such tobacco to sweating to permit the action of such growth products on the tobacco to the production of an acceptable flavor and aroma.

2. The process of treating tobacco by the production of the growth productsof select bacco, and submitting the tobacco together with the added fermentable flavor-producing material to sweating under the influence of the added owth products.

4. The herein described process of treat ace ing tobacco including applying to the-tobacco in suflicient quantity to "ferment the tobacco to an acceptable flavor and aroma the products oi the growth of a plurality of pure cultures of bacteria produced independently of the tobacco to be treated, and submitting the tobacco to sweating under the influence of the added growth products. 5. A process of treating tobacco, including bringing it to a condition ct dryness, whereby it will absorb substantially uniformly a solution added thereto, adding a solution containing a suflicient quantity of the products of the growth of selected bactcria to produce in the tobacco when sweated an acceptable flavor and aroma, and submitting the tobacco to sweating under the influence of said added growth products.

6. The herein described process ot treating tobacco including rendering inactive the bacterial growth products native to the tobacco, applying to the tobacco in suficient quantity to ferment the tobacco to an acceptable flavor and aroma the products of the growth of selected bacteria produced in:- dependently of the tobacco to be treated, and submitting the tobacco to sweating A naeaeae ing applying to tobacco a liquid containing the products of the growth of selected bacteria produced independently of the tobacco to be treated in suflicient quantity to produce in said tobacco when sweated an ac- 35 ceptable flavor and aroma, reducing the moisture contents of said tobacco to bring it into proper condition for sweating, and submitting the same to sweating under the influence oi said added growth products. 0

8. A process of treating tobacco, including the addition thereto oi the growthprodnets of bacteria of thesame kind as the bacteria reaching said tobacco naturally in the region of its growth," and the subjection of 45 said tobacco to sweating, to permit the action of such growth products thereon for theproduction of an acceptable flavor and aroma, g

- ALFRED G. BEDQRTHA.

Witnesses:

Gronen lit, Manna,

Gnonon H. Manon. 

